The present invention relates to a channel selector valve and, more specifically, to a channel selector valve, which is used to reverse channels for fluid discharged from a compressor and for fluid sucked into the compressor, and to a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle.
In general, as to an air conditioner for both cooling and heating, a four-way selector valve selects a circulating direction of a refrigerant in such a manner that upon cooling the refrigerant flows from a compressor, by way of an outdoor heat exchanger, a throttle valve and an indoor heat exchanger, then flows back to the compressor, and that upon heating the refrigerant flows from a compressor, by way of an indoor heat exchanger, a throttle valve and an outdoor heat exchanger, then flows back to the compressor.
The four-way selector valve, used for selecting a circulating direction of a refrigerant in a refrigerating cycle described above, includes the so-called sliding-type four-way selector valve.
As to the sliding-type four-way selector valve, a valve element is moved inside the valve housing so that one port, communicating with an inlet through a space formed inside the valve element, is switched from a first port to a second port out of the two ports and simultaneously that another port, communicating with an outlet through a space formed outside the valve element, is switched from the second port to the first port out of the two ports.
As disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. S35-12689 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. S55-53825, as to a conventional four-way selector valve, a magnet coil formed outside of the valve housing is provided with electricity so as to selectively decompress either valve chamber between two valve chambers disposed at both sides of a central valve chamber, out of three valve chambers in the valve housing, then the valve element placed in the central valve chamber is slided due to the differential pressure generated between the decompressed valve chamber and the central valve chamber.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. H7-99296, there is disclosed a five-way valve, in which a valve element in a valve chamber is slided with the aid of a plunger of a magnet coil inserted in a valve housing, with supplying electricity to the magnet coil disposed outside the valve housing.
As a conventional art similar to the above four or five-way valve, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. S58-42465, there is disclosed a four-way selector valve, in which with supplying electricity to heaters in operation chambers formed both sides of a valve housing, two operation rods, each inserted from the respective operation chamber into the valve housing, are alternately slided so that a valve element in the valve housing is slided. Every conventional four or five-way valve mentioned above needs electricity to be supplied to a magnet coil upon selecting by the valve, consequently, there has been a room for improvement in these valves from the viewpoints of prevention of the environmental pollution and energy saving.
Besides the four or five-way valves, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. H3-119689, there is disclosed a four-way selector valve, in which wax thermoelements are disposed at both sides of a valve housing instead of a magnet coil, and with supplying electricity to heaters of the wax thermoelements, a valve element in the valve housing is slided with the aid of a shaft, inserted from the outside of the valve housing into the inside thereof.
In Japanese Patent No. 2757997, there is disclosed a four-way selector valve, in which a pair of differential pressure chambers partitioned by partition wall plates is formed at respective sides of a valve chamber in a valve housing so that each differential pressure chamber can selectively communicate with the valve chamber by switching a substitute valve formed on the respective partition wall plate, and a constant-temperature heater of each slow operation element disposed at both sides of the valve housing is supplied with electricity so that each operation shaft inserted from the respective side of the valve housing into the respective differential pressure chamber is slided. In this four-way selector valve, the constant-temperature heater of each slow operation element is supplied with electricity so as to slide each operation shaft and to open either substitute valve, thereby both partition wall plates slide within the valve housing together with the valve element in such a manner that the partition wall plates move nearer to the opened substitute valve.
Each conventional four-way selector valve mentioned above does not employ a magnet coil, however, needs electricity to be supplied to the heaters in order to operate the switching valve, consequently, there has been a room for improvement in these valves similarly to the aforementioned conventional four or five-way valve.
On the other hand, as to a four-way selector valve disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. H7-43188, although a valve element is slided by supplying electricity to a magnet coil, a permanent magnet attracts the slided valve element so that a position of the valve element after supplying electricity is maintained, thereby saving a further supply of electricity to the magnet coil, then only a tentative electrical supply is performed to another magnet coil for demagnetization when the valve element is moved from the slided position back to an original position before the slide.
As to a four-way selector valve disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-72633, a position of a valve element after slide is maintained by an intermittent electrical supply to a magnet coil, in the four-way selector valve that is similar to one described in Japanese Patent Publication No. S35-12689.
Since each four-way selector valve, disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. H7-43188 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-72633, does not need a continuous electrical supply to the magnet coil, it has some effect from the viewpoints of prevention of the environmental pollution and energy saving.
Certainly, the four-way selector valve, disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. H7-43188 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-72633, restricts an amount of electrical supply to the magnet coil, however, it still needs some amount of electrical supply. Therefore, from the viewpoints of a vigorous promotion with respect to prevention of the environmental pollution and energy saving, there has been a room for further improvement in the valves described above.
Therefore, as to a selecting operation of a channel selector valve for fluid, such as a four-way selector valve, which is provided in a refrigerating cycle, it is an objective of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide a channel selector valve that can effectively contribute for prevention of the environmental pollution and energy saving, a method of driving the channel selector valve, a compressor that works excellently with using the channel selector valve, and a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle.
In order to attain the above objective, embodiments of the present invention relate to a channel selector valve, a method of driving the channel selector valve, a compressor with the channel selector valve, and a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle.
The present invention provides a channel selector valve for selecting a channel of fluid characterized in that the channel is selected by employing non-electric motive power generated when a control section controls a physical quantity of the fluid.
According to one embodiment of the present invention a drive source provided separately from the channel selector valve generates non-electric motive power, by which the channel is passively selected.
According to another embodiment of the present invention the drive source comprises at least one of element components in a refrigerating cycle having a channel selector valve and the channel is passively selected by using the motive power generated by said at least one of the element components.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the motive power is generated due to a change in physical quantity, which arises in the refrigerating cycle from an action of said at least one of the element components.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the change in physical quantity is at least one change among changes in pressure, differential pressure and flow rate of fluid in the channel selector valve, said changes arising from an action of said at least one of the element components.
The present invention further provides a channel selector valve comprising: a movable member moving between a first position and a second position in a housing of the channel selector valve; and driving means for driving the movable member between the first position and the second position by employing non-electric motive power generated when a control section controls a physical quantity of the fluid, wherein a first selector port out of two selector ports of the housing communicates with a main port of the housing through the interior of the housing when the movable member is situated at the first position, while a second selector port out of the two selector ports of the housing communicates with a main port of the housing through the interior of the housing when the movable member is situated at the second position.
According to one embodiment of the present invention a drive source generating a non-electric motive power comprises at least one of element components in a refrigerating cycle having the channel selector valve, a change in physical quantity, which arises in the refrigerating cycle from an action of said at least one of element components, is employed as at least a part of said motive power, thereby the channel is passively selected.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the change in physical quantity is at least one change among changes in pressure, differential pressure and flow rate of fluid in the channel selector valve, said changes arising from an action of said at least one of the element components.
The present invention further provides a channel selector valve constituted as a four-way selector valve by combining first and second three-way selector valves, each of which is constituted by a channel selector valve.
According to one embodiment of the present invention the channel selector valve is constituted as a four-way selector valve by the first and second three-way selector valves in which,
the main port of the first three-way selector valve is an inlet port formed in the housing, through which fluid introduced from the exterior to the interior of the housing of the first three-way selector valve passes, while the main port of the second three-way selector valve is an outlet port formed in the housing, through which the fluid discharged from the interior to the exterior of the housing of the second three-way selector valve passes,
the first selector port of the first three-way selector valve is connected to the second selector port of the second three-way selector valve, while the second selector port of the first three-way selector valve is connected to the first selector port of the second three-way selector valve,
the movable member of the second three-way selector valve moves to the second position when the movable member of the first three-way selector valve moves to the first position, while the movable member of the second three-way selector valve moves to the first position when the movable member of the first three-way selector valve moves to the second position.
According to another embodiment of the present invention the driving means of a first three-way selector valve comprises:
a first drive mechanism that moves the movable member situated at the first position of the first three-way selector valve to the second position when a difference between a fluid pressure at the first selector port in the first three-way selector valve and a fluid pressure at the second selector port cancels out; and
a second drive mechanism that moves the movable member situated at the second position of the first three-way selector valve to the first position when a difference between a fluid pressure at the first selector port in the first three-way selector valve and a fluid pressure at the second selector port cancels out.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention first and second three-way selector valves are constructed so that the main port is isolated from the second selector port when a movable member is situated between a first position and a third position where it is nearer to a second position than the first position, while that the main port is isolated from the first selector port when the movable member is situated between the second position and a fourth position where is between the second position and the third position,
a first drive mechanism comprises first storing means for storing energizing force to move the movable member of the first three-way selector valve from the first position to the fourth position, by a fluid pressure being higher than a first predetermined value of the main port, when the movable member of the first three-way selector valve is situated at the first position, said energizing force being less than the first predetermined value, and
a second drive mechanism comprises second storing means for storing energizing force to move the movable member of the first three-way selector valve from the second position to the third position, by a fluid pressure being higher than a second predetermined value of the main port, when the movable member of the first three-way selector valve is situated at the second position, said energizing force being less than the second predetermined value.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention a main port is an inlet port formed in the housing, through which fluid introduced from the exterior to the interior of the housing passes,
the housing further comprises an outlet port, through which the fluid discharged from the interior to the exterior of the housing passes,
when a movable member is situated at a first position, an inlet port and a first selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing, while an outlet port and a second selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing,
when the movable member is situated at a second position, the inlet port and the second selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing, while the outlet port and the first selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing.
According to another embodiment of the present invention a movable member partitions the interior of the housing into a first and second pressure chambers and also forms first and second spaces in the first pressure chamber,
an inlet port is formed in the housing so as to communicate with the first space and an outlet port is formed in the housing so as to communicate with the second space,
when the movable member is situated at a first position, fluid introduced from the exterior of the housing into the first space by way of the inlet port is discharged to a first selector port, while the fluid discharged from the second space to the exterior of the housing by way of the outlet port is introduced from a second selector port,
when the movable member is situated at a second position, the fluid introduced from the exterior of the housing into the first space by way of the inlet port is discharged to the second selector port, while the fluid discharged from the second space to the exterior of the housing by way of the outlet port is introduced from the first selector port.
The present invention further provides a method of driving a channel selector valve as described above which comprises the steps of:
communicating the first space to the second pressure chamber through an equalizing path formed in the movable member;
energizing the movable member in a direction of moving from the second position to the first position by energizing means for energizing; and
applying a force to the movable member from the first pressure chamber side by fluid introduced from the exterior of the housing into the first space by way of the inlet port, said force being stronger than a resultant force consisting of an energizing force by said energizing means and a force applied to the movable member by fluid in the second pressure chamber introduced from the first space by way of said equalizing path,
thereby the movable member moves from the first position to the second position.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention a housing has a valve seat disposed in a first pressure chamber, an outlet port and two selector ports are disposed on a valve seat, a second space moves on the valve seat responding to a movement of a movable member moving between first and second positions, and a place with which the outlet port communicates by way of the second space is selected to be either the first selector port or the second selector port.
The present invention further provides a method of driving a channel selector valve as described above which comprises the steps of:
communicating a first space to a second pressure chamber through an equalizing path formed in a movable member;
energizing the movable member in a direction of moving from a second position to a first position by energizing means for energizing; and
applying a force to the movable member from a first pressure chamber side by fluid introduced from the exterior of the housing into the first space by way of an inlet port, said force being stronger than a resultant force consisting of an energizing force by said energizing means, a force applied to the movable member by fluid in the second pressure chamber introduced from the first space by way of an equalizing path, and a static friction force between a valve seat and the movable member,
whereby the movable member moves from the first position to the second position and
the movable member is kept staying at the second position by the static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member against an energizing force of the energizing means, after a difference between a pressure of fluid in the first space and that in the second pressure chamber decreases due to circulation of fluid between the first space and the second pressure chamber through the equalizing path.
According to another embodiment of the present invention the driving means comprises:
a third drive mechanism that moves a movable member from one position out of a first and second positions toward an opposite position; and
a fourth drive mechanism that moves the movable member from the opposite position toward the one position,
wherein the third and fourth drive mechanisms employ a change in physical quantity of the interior of the housing due to fluid introduced into the interior of the housing at least as a part of the motive power.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the channel selector valve includes a movable member that partitions the interior of the housing into a first pressure chamber, a second pressure chamber, and a third pressure chamber situated so that the first pressure chamber is sandwiched between the second and third pressure chambers,
the channel selector valve further comprises a non-electrically-driven pilot valve that selectively communicates an outlet port to either the second pressure chamber or the third pressure chamber, said pilot valve comprises:
a second housing having a second main port that is provided outside the housing and communicates with the outlet port; and
a selector valve element that partitions the interior of a second housing into a fourth pressure chamber communicating with the third pressure chamber and a fifth pressure chamber communicating with the second pressure chamber, and that is movable in the second housing between a fifth position where the second main port communicates with the fourth pressure chamber and a sixth position where the second main port communicates with the fifth pressure chamber, due to a difference between a pressure of fluid in the second pressure chamber and that in the third pressure chamber.
According to another embodiment, the present invention further comprises second driving means to move a selector valve element from one position out of fifth and sixth positions to an opposite position when the difference between a pressure of fluid in a second pressure chamber and that in a third pressure chamber cancels out.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention a movable member has a first equalizing path communicating a first space to a second pressure chamber and a second equalizing path communicating the first space to a third pressure chamber,
the movable member has a first subvalve that isolates the third pressure chamber from a fourth pressure chamber when the movable member is situated at a first position and that communicates the third pressure chamber to the fourth pressure chamber when the movable member is situated at a second position, and has a second subvalve that communicates the second pressure chamber to a fifth pressure chamber when the movable member is situated at the first position and that isolates the second pressure chamber from the fifth pressure chamber when the movable member is situated at the second position,
a pilot valve communicates a second main port to the fourth pressure chamber when the selector valve element is situated between a fifth position and a seventh position located nearer to a sixth position than the fifth position, and communicates the second main port to the fifth pressure chamber when the selector valve element is situated between the sixth position and an eighth position located between the sixth position and the seventh position, and
a second driving means has third and fourth storing means for storing energizing force,
the third storing means for storing energizing force stores an energizing force, which is less than a third predetermined value, to move the selector valve element from the fifth position to the eighth position due to a fluid pressure in the fifth pressure chamber exceeding the third predetermined value when the selector valve element is situated at the fifth position, and
the fourth storing means for storing energizing force stores an energizing force, which is less than a fourth predetermined value, to move the selector valve element from the sixth position to the seventh position due to a fluid pressure in the fourth pressure chamber exceeding the fourth predetermined value when the selector valve element is situated at the sixth position.
According to a yet further embodiment, the present invention comprises:
a third main port communicating with an inlet port is further formed in a second housing,
the third main port communicates with a fifth pressure chamber when the selector valve element is situated between the fifth and seventh positions and communicates with a fourth pressure chamber when the selector valve element is situated between sixth and eighth positions,
and the channel selector valve further comprises second driving means for moving the selector valve element either from the fifth position to the eighth position or from the sixth position to the seventh position when the difference between a pressure of fluid in a second pressure chamber and that in a third pressure chamber cancels out.
According to another embodiment of the present invention in which the second driving means has third and fourth storing means for storing energizing force,
the third storing means for storing energizing force stores an energizing force, which is less than a third predetermined value, to move the selector valve element from a fifth position to an eighth position due to a fluid pressure in a fifth pressure chamber exceeding a third predetermined value when the selector valve element is situated at a fifth position, and
the fourth storing means for storing energizing force stores an energizing force, which is less than a fourth predetermined value, to move the selector valve element from a sixth position to a seventh position due to a fluid pressure in a fourth pressure chamber exceeding the fourth predetermined value when the selector valve element is situated at the sixth position.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the driving means comprises:
a third drive mechanism to move a movable member from one position out of first and second positions to an opposite position; and
a fourth drive mechanism to move the movable member from the opposite position to the one position,
wherein one drive mechanism out of third and fourth drive mechanisms employs a change in physical quantity of the interior of the housing due to fluid introduced into the interior of the housing at least as a part of the motive power, while an opposite drive mechanism employs an energizing force that is applied to the movable member by energizing means received in the interior of the housing at least as a part of the motive power.
A still further embodiment of the present invention comprises a latch mechanism that selectively controls a movement of a movable member from one position out of first and second positions toward an opposite position.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention a latch mechanism selectively performs a first and second states,
in the first state, a movement of a movable member to an opposite position by a driving means is controlled at a first position, and
in the second state, a movement of the movable member from the one position to the opposite position by the driving means is allowed.
According to another embodiment of the present invention a latch mechanism comprises a latch piece that moves in the housing following a movement of a movable member between first and second positions, and in a first state of the latch mechanism, a movement of the latch piece is controlled, thereby a movement of the movable member is controlled at the one position.
The present invention further provides a method of driving a channel selector valve wherein
when a movable member, a movement of which to an opposite position is controlled by a latch mechanism and situated at one position, is moved to an opposite position, the movable member is once moved by a driving means in a direction of moving from the opposite position to the one position, then is moved from the one position to the opposite position,
and when the movable member situated at the opposite position is moved to the one position, the movable member is once moved by the driving means in a direction of moving from the one position to the opposite position, then is moved from the opposite position to the one position.
According to another embodiment of the present invention the channel selector valve further comprises:
a valve-opening member that moves from a valve-closing position to a valve-opening position by the motive power while a third drive mechanism generates the motive power;
a pilot path that is opened from a valve closing state thereof by the valve-opening member moved from the valve-closing position to the valve-opening position;
an attenuation mechanism acting when the pilot path is open, which attenuates the motive power generated by a fourth drive mechanism so as to prevent the movable member from moving from the opposite position to the one position; and
a second latch mechanism to selectively control a movement of the valve-opening member from the valve-closing position to the valve-opening position.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention as described in a second latch mechanism alternately repeats a third and fourth states,
in the third state, a movement of the valve-opening member to a valve-opening position is controlled at a valve-closing position, and
in the fourth state, a movement of the valve-opening member from the valve-closing position to the valve-opening position is allowed.
The present invention further provides a method of driving a channel selector valve as described above wherein
when a movable member situated at one position is moved to an opposite position, a generation of the motive power by a third drive mechanism is once halted, then the generation thereof by the third drive mechanism is started again and then, the motive power generated by the third drive mechanism is maintained to be a predetermined value exceeding the motive power, which is generated by the fourth drive mechanism and attenuated by the attenuation mechanism,
and when the movable member situated at the opposite position is moved to the one position, a generation of the motive power by the third drive mechanism is halted, then the movable member is moved from the opposite position to the one position by the fourth drive mechanism.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention a driving means comprises a communication pipe that always communicates a second pressure chamber to a first selector port outside the housing.
According to a yet further embodiment of the present invention a driving means comprises a state-holding mechanism to hold a movable member, which is moved from a first position to a second position, at the second position.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention a state-holding mechanism comprises:
a state-holding selector valve provided in a second pressure chamber, which by a selecting action of a second selector valve element selects either a first state or a second state, in said first state the second pressure chamber communicates with the exterior of the housing through a first introducing port and in said second state the second pressure chamber communicates with the exterior of the housing through a second introducing port; and
energizing means for energizing the selector valve, which energizes the second selector valve element so that the state-holding selector valve in the second state selects the first state,
a movable member allows the energizing means for energizing the selector valve to energize the second selector valve element when the movable member is situated at a first position, while the movable member makes the second selector valve element act a selection so that the state-holding selector valve selects the second state against an energizing by the energizing means for energizing the selector valve when the movable member is situated at a second position.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention an energizing means energizes a movable member in a direction of moving from a second position to a first position, and a pressure of fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing into a first space by way of an inlet port, acts on the movable member in a direction of moving from the first position to the second position.
The present invention also provides a method of driving a channel selector valve as described above wherein
when a movable member moves from a first position to a second position, a pressure of fluid introduced into a first space from the exterior of the housing by way of an inlet port is set higher than a predetermined value, so that a force, which is applied to the movable member by fluid existing in the first space in a direction from the first position to the second position, is set stronger than a force, which is applied to the movable member by fluid existing in the place to which a second pressure chamber is communicated in a direction from the second position to the first position,
after the movable member has moved from the first position to the second position, a pressure of fluid existing in the first space and a pressure of fluid existing in the second pressure chamber are set so that the movable member is kept staying at the second position.
According to another embodiment of the present invention the element component described above is an electrically-driven expansion valve provided in the refrigerating cycle and the change in physical quantity is a change in pressure of fluid due to a change in an opening ratio of the electrically-driven expansion valve.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the element component described above is a compressor provided in the refrigerating cycle and the change in physical quantity is a change in a frequency of a mechanical oscillation generated by the compressor.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention the element component described above is a heat exchanger provided in the refrigerating cycle and the change in physical quantity is a change in pressure of fluid due to a change in the amount of heat exchange by the heat exchanger.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention the housing is cylindrical,
at least two selector ports are formed at a valve seat situated at one end of the housing in a direction of a central axis of the housing,
a movable member is constructed by a main valve element, which is received in the housing and rotative around the central axis,
the main valve element is provided with communication means for selectively communicating a selector port out of the two selector ports to the main port,
the main valve element rotates and displaces around the central axis so as to move between first and second positions, when the main valve element is situated at the first position, a first selector port out of the two selector ports is communicated to the main port by the communication means, and when the main valve element is situated at the second position, a second selector port out of the two selector ports is communicated to the main port by the communication means.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention
at least one port out of an inlet port and an outlet port is formed at a valve seat,
an end surface of a main valve element in a direction of a central axis sits down on the valve seat,
said end surface is provided with second communication means for selectively communicating said one port to a first selector port out of the two selector ports,
when the main valve element is situated at the first position, the second communication means communicates the second selector port to said one port, and when the main valve element is situated at the second position, the second communication means communicates the first selector port to said one port.
According to a yet further embodiment of the present invention an opposite port is formed at an opposite end of the housing in a direction of the central axis, and a communication means has a communication channel that communicates one end surface side of a main valve element to an opposite end surface side of the main valve element in the interior of the housing.
According to a still further embodiment, the present invention further comprises conversion means for converting a moving direction, which converts a movement of a main valve element in a direction of a central axis with respect to the housing into a movement in a rotational direction around the central axis, wherein the main valve element is movable in a direction of the central axis in the interior of the housing, and a driving means makes the main valve element have a reciprocating motion in a direction of the central axis with respect to the housing.
According to one embodiment of the present invention
a conversion means for converting a moving direction comprises:
a cam groove that is provided in one of a main valve element and a housing, and extends over a whole circumference of a rotational direction; and
a cam follower pin that is provided in another out of the main valve element and the housing, and moves in a cam groove,
the cam groove has a first and second cam grooves continuing with each other in the rotational direction, said first cam groove is formed inclined so as to part from the valve seat in a direction of the central axis as being displaced in the rotational direction, while said second cam groove is formed inclined so as to move nearer to the valve seat in a direction of the central axis as being displaced in the rotational direction.
According to another embodiment of the present invention
a cam groove is provided in the housing,
the housing comprises an outer housing and an inner housing received in the outer housing,
the inner housing comprises a first half and a second half divided in a direction of the central axis in a state that the inner housing is received in the outer housing, and
each guide, which constitutes the cam groove in a state that an end of the first half and an end of the second half are joined with each other, is formed at the respective ends of the first and second halves.
According to another embodiment of the present invention
at least one port out of an inlet port and an outlet port is formed at the valve seat,
second communication means is formed at an end surface of a main valve element, the end surface faces the valve seat, said second communication means selectively communicates the opposite port to a first selector port out of two selector ports in a state that the end surface sits down on the valve seat,
when the main valve element is situated at a first position, the second selector port is communicated to the opposite port by the second communication means of the main valve element, and the end surface of which sits down on the valve seat, and
when the main valve element is situated at a second position, the first selector port is communicated to the opposite port by the second communication means of the main valve element, and the end surface of which sits down on the valve seat.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention in which the opposite port is formed at an opposite end side of the housing in a direction of the central axis, and the communication means comprises:
a communication channel that communicates one end surface side of the main valve element to an opposite end surface side of the main valve element in the housing;
a subvalve that opens and closes the communication channel;
subvalve energizing means for energizing the subvalve toward a direction of closing; and
valve opening means for opening the subvalve against an energizing force by the subvalve energizing means in a state that the one end surface of the main valve element sits down on the valve seat.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention the housing is disposed so that the opposite end of the housing is situated lower than one end of the housing in a direction of the central axis, and a driving means employs an own weight of a main valve element at least as a part of the motive power.
According to a yet further embodiment of the present invention a driving means employs an energizing force by energizing means for energizing a main valve element, which energizes the main valve element to part from a valve seat in a direction of a central axis, as a part of the motive power.
According to another embodiment of the present invention a driving means comprises second energizing means for energizing a main valve element, which energizes the main valve element to move nearer to a valve seat in a direction of a central axis.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention a driving means comprises energizing means for energizing a main valve element, which energizes the main valve element to part from a valve seat in a direction of a central axis, due to a resultant force of an energizing force by a energizing means for energizing the main valve element and an energizing force by a second energizing means for energizing the main valve element, a cam follower pin is situated at an intermediate position of a cam groove except end portions of one end side and an opposite end side of the housing in a direction of the central axis, and the main valve element is situated at a neutral position halfway within a reciprocating motion in a direction of the central axis when the cam follower pin is situated at the intermediate position.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention
an end portion of one end side of the housing in a direction of a central axis a cam groove is provided with a groove that continues to a join, at which one end of a first cam groove being situated at the one end side of the housing is connected to one end of a second cam groove,
the groove is formed so that one end surface of the main valve element sits down on a valve seat in a state that the cam follower pin is situated at the groove,
the groove is disposed being displaced to a lower course than the join in the rotational direction, and
when the main valve element moves in the direction away from the valve seat in a direction of the central axis, a movement of the cam follower pin is controlled from the groove to a cam groove out of the first and second cam grooves, which is situated at the upper course than the groove in the rotational direction.
According to another embodiment of the present invention
an end portion of an opposite end side of a housing in a direction of a central axis out of a cam groove is provided with a second groove that continues to a join, at which an opposite end of a first cam groove being situated at the opposite end side of the housing is connected to an opposite end of the second cam groove,
the second groove is formed so that a main valve element is the farthest away from a valve seat in a state that the cam follower pin is situated at the second groove,
the second groove is disposed being displaced to the lower course than a second join in the rotational direction, and
when the main valve element moves in the direction nearer to the valve seat in a direction of the central axis, a movement of the cam follower pin is controlled from the second groove to a cam groove out of the first and second cam grooves, which is situated at the upper course than the second groove in the rotational direction.
According to another embodiment of the present invention slide means for decreasing a sliding resistance between the housing and a main valve element is provided therebetween.
The present invention further provides a compressor with a channel selector valve as described above comprises:
a compressor housing having an inlet, which is connected to the outlet port;
a low pressure chamber that is provided in the interior of the compressor housing and communicates with the inlet;
a high pressure chamber that is provided in the interior of the compressor housing and partitioned off from the low pressure chamber; and
a compressing section that is provided in the interior of the compressor housing, compresses fluid introduced into the low pressure chamber from the inlet, and guides the fluid into the high pressure chamber,
wherein a part of the compressor housing partitioning the high pressure housing therein is integrally formed with a part of the housing having the inlet port therein, thereby the interior of the part of the housing communicates with the high pressure chamber.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, characterized in that:
the device controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control the refrigerating cycle; and
the device controls the channel selector valve by controlling the functional components.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, characterized in that:
the device controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control the refrigerating cycle; and
the device generates a non-electrical motive power by controlling the functional components and passively controls the channel selector valve by employing the motive power.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, comprising:
a microcomputer that controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control the refrigerating cycle; and
a control program, by which the microcomputer performs a processing that controls the functional components so as to generate a non-electrical motive power for passively controlling the channel selector valve.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, characterized in that:
the device controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control the refrigerating cycle;
the non-electrical motive power generated by controlling the functional components is a physical quantity or a rate of change in a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle; and
the device passively controls the channel selector valve by the physical quantity or the rate of change in a physical quantity.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, comprising:
a microcomputer that controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control the refrigerating cycle; and
a control program, by which the microcomputer performs a processing that controls the functional components so as to allow the refrigerating cycle to generate a physical quantity or a rate of change in a physical quantity as a non-electrical motive power for passively controlling the channel selector valve.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a physical quantity, which is a base for controlling functional components to generate the non-electrical motive power, is a parameter selected from the group consisting of a pressure, temperature, rate of flow, voltage, current, electrical frequency and mechanical oscillation frequency with respect to a control of the refrigerating cycle.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein
a physical quantity, which is the non-electrical motive power and is generated by the refrigerating cycle, is a pressure, differential pressure or rate of flow with respect to fluid existing in the channel selector valve, and
the rate of change in a physical quantity, which is the non-electrical motive power and is generated by the refrigerating cycle, is a rate of change in pressure, rate of change in differential pressure or rate of change in rate of flow with respect to the fluid.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, comprising a control section that receives input signals sent from an operation command section for commanding an operational condition of the refrigerating cycle and a physical quantity detector section for detecting a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle,
wherein the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component, and the device generates a non-electrical motive power by controlling the refrigerating cycle and passively controls the channel selector valve by the motive power.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a control section controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to start an operation of the refrigerating cycle, thereby controlling a channel selector valve in a state corresponding to the start of an operation, which is commanded by the operation command section.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a control section starts to operate a compressor communicated to the refrigerating cycle in a direction of inverse rotation when the control section decides to select a channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a control section controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to operate the refrigerating cycle, thereby controlling a channel selector valve in a state corresponding to the operation, which is commanded by the operation command section.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a control section controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to halt an operation of the refrigerating cycle, thereby controlling a channel selector valve in a state corresponding to the halt of the operation, which is commanded by the operation command section.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a channel selector valve is constructed in a manner that a movable member moves so as to select a channel, and the control section comprises at least one unit selected from the group consisting of: a memory unit for memorizing position data of the movable member of the channel selector valve; a comparison unit and a judge unit for comparing and judging, respectively, the position data and operation command data; and a learning unit learning on the basis of physical quantity data by a control of functional components and control data of a channel selector valve.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a control section receives input signals, performs a predetermined processing and judges whether a channel is to be changed or not to be changed by a channel selector valve,
then confirms a position on the basis of present position data,
then sends the output signals to a driving section so as to control the functional components in the refrigerating cycle,
then receives new input signals after a predetermined period of time, confirms a position of a movable member, and sets position data of said position as new present position data when said position is changed to a new position.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle wherein a control section confirms a position of a movable member by at least one temperature detection means for detecting temperature, at least one pressure detection means for detecting pressure, at least one magnetism detection means for detecting magnetism, at least one current detection means for detecting current or a combination thereof after a predetermined period of time, and then installs position data corresponding to said position into a memory unit of the control section.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve that is communicated to a refrigerating cycle and selects a channel by a movement of a movable member, which device comprises:
a microcomputer that controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control the refrigerating cycle; and
a control program, by which the microcomputer performs a processing consisting of the steps of:
receiving input signals;
confirming a position by taking out present position data of a movable member installed in a memory unit;
carrying out an operation to decide whether the movable member is to be moved of not to be moved, comparing, and judging;
selecting and deciding a driving section;
outputting drive signals to the driving section selected and decided;
judging a position of the movable member by input signals after a predetermined period of time, with or without moving a position of the movable member by a physical quantity generated by at least one functional component that is selected and decided in said step of selecting and deciding or a rate of the physical quantity; and
installing position data of a position of the movable member into the memory unit when said position is changed to a new position,
in order to control the driving section for driving the functional component so that the position of the movable member is to be moved or not to be moved.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, which device comprises:
a control section that receives input signals sent from an operation command section for commanding an operation state of the refrigerating cycle and from a physical quantity detector section for detecting a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle,
wherein the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component and to control the refrigerating cycle, and when judging to select a channel by using the channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor of the refrigerating cycle and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power, thereby a channel selector valve is passively controlled.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, which device comprises:
a control section that receives input signals sent from an operation command section for commanding an operation state of the refrigerating cycle and from a physical quantity detector section for detecting a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle,
wherein the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component and to control the refrigerating cycle, and when judging to select a channel by using the channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor in a direction of inverse rotation and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power exceeding a third predetermined motive power, thereby a channel selector valve is passively controlled.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein
a channel selector valve selects a channel by moving a movable member between first and second positions in response to an internal motive power,
a control section memorizes position data corresponding to the first or second position of the movable member in a memory unit thereof,
the control section starts an operation of the refrigerating cycle when the position data indicates the second or first position,
halts the operation of the refrigerating cycle with renewing position data in a memory unit to the first or second position, respectively, after a first predetermined period of time, and
keeps the operation of the refrigerating cycle standby during a third predetermined period of time.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein the control section operates a compressor in a specific frequency immediately after starting the operation of the compressor and starts an operation of the refrigerating cycle so that a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of the channel selector valve.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein the control section starts an operation of the compressor with a first predetermined capacity.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein the control section starts an operation of the compressor with a second predetermined capacity so that a motive power lower than a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of the channel selector valve,
then operates the refrigerating cycle for a fourth predetermined period of time,
then halts the operation of the refrigerating cycle for a fifth predetermined period of time, and
then starts an operation of the compressor with a first predetermined capacity so that a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of the channel selector valve.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein the control section sends output signals to a throttle device driving section so that an opening ratio of a throttle device of the refrigerating cycle is almost fully opened or almost fully closed.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein the control section sends output signals to a heat exchanger motor driving section so that a heat exchanger motor of the refrigerating cycle is kept halted.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein once the control section starts an operation of the compressor, the control section sends output signals to the compressor driving section after a first predetermined period of time and drives the power source of the compressor so that a motive power exceeding a second predetermined motive power is generated, thereby operating the refrigerating cycle.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein once the control section starts an operation of the compressor, the control section sends output signals to the throttle device driving section so as to set the opening ratio of the throttle device a predetermined opening ratio after a first predetermined period of time.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein once the control section starts an operation of the compressor, the control section sends output signals to the heat exchanger motor driving section after a second predetermined period of time so as to start an operation of the heat exchanger motor, sends output signals to the compressor driving section so as to generate a motive power lower than a first predetermined motive power, and drives the power source of the compressor so as to generate a motive power exceeding a second predetermined motive power, thereby operating the refrigerating cycle.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein when the control section performs a predetermined processing and judges to select a channel by the channel selector valve or to halt an operation of the refrigerating cycle,
the control section sends output signals to the compressor driving section: to drive the power source of the compressor with a third predetermined capacity so as to generate a motive power lower than a second predetermined motive power; or to halt the operation of the compressor, thereby halting the operation of the refrigerating cycle.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein when the control section performs a predetermined processing and judges to select a channel by the channel selector valve or to halt an operation of the refrigerating cycle,
the control section sends output signals to the compressor driving section to halt the operation of the compressor, then keeps the refrigerating cycle standby for a third predetermined period of time, then sends output signals to the compressor driving section to start the operation of the compressor, then renews position data in a memory unit to a first or second position after a first predetermined period of time, thereby halting the operation of the compressor again.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein when positional data memorized by a memory unit of the control section indicate a first or second position, the control section starts an operation of the refrigerating cycle so that a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of the channel selector valve.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a channel selector valve communicating with a refrigerating cycle, which device comprises:
a control section that receives input signals sent from an operation command section for commanding an operation state of the refrigerating cycle and from a physical quantity detector section for detecting a -physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle,
wherein the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component and to control the refrigerating cycle, and when judging not to select a channel by using the channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor of the refrigerating cycle and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power lower than a first predetermined motive power, thereby a channel selector valve is passively controlled.
The present invention further provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein the control section starts an operation of the compressor with a second predetermined capacity.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle which controls a channel selector valve communicated to the refrigerating cycle, the device comprising:
a control section that receives input signals sent from an operation command section for commanding an operation state of the refrigerating cycle and from a physical quantity detector section for detecting a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle,
wherein the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component and to control the refrigerating cycle, and when judging not to select a channel by using the channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor of the refrigerating cycle and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power, thereby the channel selector valve is passively controlled.
The present invention also provides a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle as described above wherein when the control section performs a predetermined processing and judges to halt an operation of the refrigerating cycle,
the control section sends output signals to the compressor driving section so as to halt the operation of the compressor, then keeps the refrigerating cycle standby for a third predetermined period of time without renewing position data in a memory unit.
According to a channel selector valve of the present invention a channel selection of fluid by the channel selector valve is performed by employing non-electric motive power generated when a control section controls a physical quantity of the fluid.
According to one embodiment of channel selector valve of the present invention a channel selection of fluid by the channel selector valve is passively performed using motive power generated by a non-electrically-driven drive source provided separately from the channel selector valve.
According to another channel selector valve of the present invention at least one of element components in a refrigerating cycle having the channel selector valve generates a motive power, by which a channel selection of fluid by the channel selector valve is passively performed.
According to another channel selector valve of the present invention a change in physical quantity generated in a refrigerating cycle due to an action of at least one element component in the refrigerating cycle constitutes at least a part of a motive power that is used for a channel selection of fluid by the channel selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when at least one change among changes in pressure, differential pressure and flow rate of fluid in the channel selector valve arising from an action of an element component in the refrigerating cycle takes place, the change as a change in a physical quantity arising in the refrigerating cycle is used for a selection of a channel by the channel selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a selection of a place where a main port formed in the housing is communicated to through the interior of the housing between two selector ports is achieved by moving a movable member between the first and second positions by driving means that uses non-electric motive power generated when a control section controls a physical quantity of the fluid.
According to another embodiment of the channel selector valve of the present invention a motive power, which is used for selecting a channel of fluid by a channel selector valve, includes a change in a physical quantity generated due to an action of at least one of element components in a refrigerating cycle, thereby a channel selection of the fluid is passively performed by using the motive power.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when at least one change among changes in pressure, differential pressure and flow rate of fluid in the channel selector valve, which is generated by an action of at least one element component in the refrigerating cycle, takes place, the change as a change in physical quantity generated in the refrigerating cycle is used for a selection of a channel by the channel selector valve.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention the channel selector valve is constructed as a four-way selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a first selector port of a first three-way selector valve is connected to a second selector port of a second three-way selector valve, while a second selector port of the first three-way selector valve is connected to a first selector port of the second three-way selector valve, a main port of the first three-way selector valve is an inlet port formed in the housing, through which fluid introduced from the exterior to the interior of the housing of the first three-way selector valve passes, while a main port of the second three-way selector valve is an outlet port formed in the housing, through which the fluid discharged from the interior to the exterior of the housing of the second three-way selector valve passes, then, a movable member of the second three-way selector valve moves to a second position when the movable member of the first three-way selector valve moves to the first position, while the movable member of the second three-way selector valve moves to a first position when the movable member of the first three-way selector valve moves to the second position, thereby the channel selector valve is constituted as a four-way selector valve by the first and second three-way selector valves.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a difference between a pressure of fluid at a first selector port and that at a second selector port cancels out, a movable member of a first three-way selector valve situated at a first position is moved to a second position by a first drive mechanism of the first three-way selector valve, while a movable member of the first three-way selector valve situated at the second position is moved to the first position by a second drive mechanism.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention in a first three-way selector valve, when a fluid pressure at a main port exceeds a first predetermined value, a movable member is situated at a first position by the fluid pressure, thereby the main port communicates with a first selector port and an energizing force is stored in a first storing means for storing energizing force, while when a fluid pressure at the main port is lower than a first predetermined value, the movable member is moved from the first position to a fourth position against the fluid pressure at the main port by the energizing force stored in the first storing means for storing energizing force, thereby a place where the main port is communicated to is switched from the first selector port to the second selector port.
Then, in a state that the movable member is situated at the fourth position, when the fluid pressure at the main port exceeds a second predetermined value, the movable member is moved from the fourth position to the second position by the fluid pressure and an energizing force is stored in the second storing means for storing energizing force, while when a fluid pressure at the main port is lower than the second predetermined value, the movable member is moved from the second position to a third position against the fluid pressure at the main port by the energizing force stored in the second storing means for storing energizing force, thereby a place where the main port is communicated to is switched from the second selector port to the first selector port.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention out of an inlet port formed in the housing, through which fluid introduced from the exterior to the interior of the housing passes, and an outlet port, through which the fluid discharged from the interior to the exterior of the housing passes, the inlet port is set to be a main port, then, when a movable member is situated at a first position, the inlet port and a first selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing, while the outlet port and a second selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing, on the other hand, when the movable member is situated at a second position, the inlet port and the second selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing, while the outlet port and the first selector port are communicated with each other inside the housing.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a movable member is moved between first and second positions by changing a difference between a pressure of fluid introduced from the exterior of the housing and a pressure of fluid discharged to the exterior of the housing by using a motive power generated by a non-electrically-driven drive, thereby a linear slide-type four-way selector valve is constructed by a channel selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a method of driving the channel selector valve of the present invention when there is no difference between a pressure of fluid in a first space and a pressure of fluid in a second pressure chamber, a movable member energized by an energizing means is situated at a first position, thereby a first selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing to the first space by way of an inlet port, is discharged to, while a second selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is discharged from a second space to the exterior of the housing by way of an outlet port, is introduced from.
When a pressure of the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing to the first space of the first pressure chamber by way of the inlet port, is raised so that a force, which exceeds a resultant force of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, is acted on the movable member from the first pressure chamber side, the movable member situated at the first position by the energizing force by the energizing means moves to a second position against the energizing force by the energizing means, thereby the second selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing to the first space by way of the inlet port, is discharged to, while the first selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is discharged from the second space to the exterior of the housing by way of the outlet port, is introduced from.
Then, when the movable member moves from the first position to the second position, since a pressure of the fluid in the second pressure chamber is compressed to become high, a pressure of the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing into the first space of the first pressure chamber by way of the inlet port, is set high so that the force, which exceeds a resultant force of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, is acted on the movable member from the first pressure chamber side, thereby the movable member moved from the first position is held at the second position.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a force acted on a movable member from a first pressure chamber side by a pressure of the fluid, which is introduced into a first space of the housing by way of a inlet port, is equal to or lower than a resultant force of the energizing force by the energizing means, a force that the fluid in a second pressure chamber acts on the movable member and a static friction force between a valve seat and the movable member, the movable member stays at a first position.
Therefore, a first selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing to the first space by way of the inlet port, is discharged to, while a second selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is discharged from a second space to the exterior of the housing by way of an outlet port, is introduced from.
On the other hand, when a force acted on the movable member from the first pressure chamber side by a pressure of the fluid, which is introduced into the first space of the housing by way of the inlet port, exceeds a resultant force of the energizing force by the energizing means, a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member and a static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member, the movable member moves to the second position against the energizing force by the energizing means.
Therefore, the second selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing to the first space by way of the inlet port, is discharged to, while the first selector port is set to be a place where the fluid, which is discharged from the second space to the exterior of the housing by way of the outlet port, is introduced from.
Then, after the movable member moves to the second position, when a force acted on the movable member from the first pressure chamber side by a pressure of the fluid, which is introduced into the first space of the housing by way of the inlet port, exceeds a force, which is resulted by subtracting a static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member from a resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, the movable member keeps staying at the second position against the energizing force by the energizing means.
According to a further embodiment of a method of driving the channel selector valve of the present invention when the channel selector valve is driven, if a movable member moves from a first position to a second position, the fluid in a second pressure chamber is compressed to give a change in pressure with respect to fluid in a first space, however, since the first space communicates with the second pressure chamber through an equalizing path, a pressure of fluid in the first space becomes close to that in the second pressure chamber.
Then, the force acted on the movable member by the fluid in the first space soon becomes equal to the resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and the force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, then becomes even lower than that, resulting in that the movable member is ready to move toward the first position from the second position, however, the static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member acts against the energizing force by the energizing means even after a difference between the pressure of the fluid in the first space and that in the second pressure chamber decreases, thereby the movable member is held at the second position by the static friction force.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a physical quantity in the housing is changed by the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior into the interior of the housing by way of an inlet port of the housing, the change in physical quantity is utilized as at least a part of a motive power for moving a movable member between a first and second position, by third and fourth drive mechanisms.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a selector valve element of a pilot valve is situated at a fifth position, an outlet port communicates with a third pressure chamber through a second main port of the pilot valve and a fourth pressure chamber, while when the selector valve element of the pilot valve is situated at a sixth position, the outlet port communicates with a second pressure chamber through a second main port of the pilot valve and the fifth pressure chamber.
Therefore, if a pressure of the fluid at an inlet port from which the fluid is introduced exceeds a pressure of the fluid at the outlet port from which the fluid is discharged, the selector valve element of the pilot valve is moved between the fifth and sixth position so that either the second pressure chamber or the third pressure chamber, placed sandwiching the first pressure chamber with each other, is selected as a chamber, a fluid pressure of which is lower than that in the first space of the first pressure chamber, thereby a direction of the movable member to move by a difference in pressure of the fluid is selected between a direction from a first position to a second position and that from the second position to the first position.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a difference between a pressure of fluid in a second pressure chamber and that in a third pressure chamber cancels out, a selector valve element is moved from one to another between fifth and sixth positions by second driving means.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a selector valve element of a pilot valve is situated at a seventh position, a second main port communicating with an outlet port communicates with a fourth pressure chamber communicating with a third pressure chamber, thereby the outlet port communicates with the third pressure chamber through the pilot valve.
In this state, when a pressure of the fluid in a first space of a first pressure chamber communicating with an inlet port increases to exceed a pressure of the fluid in the third pressure chamber communicating with the outlet port, a movable member moves so that the volume of the third pressure chamber decreases, resulting in that the volume of a second pressure chamber increases, in other words, the movable member moves from a second position to a first position, then the third pressure chamber is isolated from the fourth pressure chamber by a first subvalve while the second pressure chamber is communicated to a fifth pressure chamber by a second subvalve.
Then, a pressure of the fluid in the second pressure chamber communicating with a first space by a first equalizing path increases in response to an increases in that in the first space, thereby when a pressure of the fluid in the fifth pressure chamber communicating with the second pressure chamber increases and exceeds a third predetermined value, the selector valve element situated at the seventh position moves to a fifth position and an energizing force is stored in a third storing means for storing energizing force.
Thereafter, when a pressure of the fluid in the second or fifth pressure chamber becomes lower than a third predetermined value due to a decrease in a pressure of the fluid in the first space, the selector valve element is moved from the fifth position to an eighth position against a pressure of the fluid in the fifth pressure chamber by an energizing force of the third storing means for storing energizing force, thereby a second main port communicating with the outlet port communicates with the fifth pressure chamber communicating with the second pressure chamber, resulting in that the outlet port communicates with the second pressure chamber through the pilot valve.
In this state, when a pressure of the fluid in the first space of the first pressure chamber communicating with the inlet port increases to exceed a pressure of the fluid in the second pressure chamber communicating with the outlet port, the movable member moves so that the volume of the second pressure chamber decreases, resulting in that the volume of the third pressure chamber increases, in other words, the movable member moves from a first position to a second position, then the third pressure chamber is communicated to the fourth pressure chamber by a first subvalve while the second pressure chamber is isolated from the fifth pressure chamber by a second subvalve.
Then, a pressure of the fluid in the third pressure chamber communicating with the first space by a second equalizing path increases in response to an increases in that in the first space, thereby when a pressure of the fluid in the fourth pressure chamber communicating with the third pressure chamber increases and exceeds a fourth predetermined value, the selector valve element situated at the eighth position moves to a sixth position and an energizing force is stored in a fourth storing means for storing energizing force.
Thereafter, when a pressure of the fluid in the third or fourth pressure chamber becomes lower than a fourth predetermined value due to a decrease in a pressure of the fluid in the first space, the selector valve element is moved from the sixth position to the seventh position against a pressure of the fluid in the fourth pressure chamber by an energizing force of the fourth storing means for storing energizing force, thereby the second main port communicating with the outlet port communicates with the fourth pressure chamber communicating with the third pressure chamber, resulting in that the outlet port communicates with the third pressure chamber through the pilot valve.
Therefore, in this state, when a pressure of the fluid in the first space of the first pressure chamber communicating with the inlet port increases to exceed a pressure of the fluid in the third pressure chamber communicating with the outlet port, the movable member moves from the second position to the first position.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a difference between a pressure of fluid in a second pressure chamber and that in a third pressure chamber cancels out, a selector valve element is moved from one to another between a fifth and sixth positions by second driving means.
When the selector valve element of a pilot valve is situated at the fifth position, the inlet port communicates with a second pressure chamber through a third main port of the pilot valve and a fifth pressure chamber, while when the selector valve element of the pilot valve is situated at a sixth position, the inlet port communicates with the third pressure chamber through a third main port of the pilot valve and a fourth pressure chamber.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a selector valve element of a pilot valve is situated at a seventh position, a third main port communicating with a inlet port communicates with a fifth pressure chamber communicating with a second pressure chamber, thereby the inlet port communicates with the second pressure chamber through the pilot valve.
In this state, when a pressure of the fluid in a first space of a first pressure chamber communicating with the inlet port increases, a movable member moves so that the volume of the second pressure chamber increases, resulting in that the volume of a third pressure chamber decreases, in other words, the movable member moves from a second position to a first position.
Then, a pressure of the fluid in the second pressure chamber communicating with the first space by a first equalizing path increases in response to an increases in that in the first space, thereby when a pressure of the fluid in the fifth pressure chamber communicating with the second pressure chamber increases and exceeds a third predetermined value, the selector valve element situated at the seventh position moves to a fifth position and an energizing force is stored in a third storing means for storing energizing force.
Thereafter, when a pressure of the fluid in the second or fifth pressure chamber becomes lower than a third predetermined value due to a decrease in a pressure of the fluid in the first space, the selector valve element is moved from the fifth position to an eighth position against a pressure of the fluid in the fifth pressure chamber by an energizing force of the third storing means for storing energizing force, thereby a third main port communicating with the inlet port communicates with a fourth pressure chamber communicating with the third pressure chamber, resulting in that the inlet port communicates with the third pressure chamber through the pilot valve.
In this state, when a pressure of the fluid in the first space of the first pressure chamber communicating with the inlet port increases, the movable member moves so that the volume of the third pressure chamber increases, resulting in that the volume of the second pressure chamber decreases, in other words, the movable member moves from the first position to the second position.
Then, a pressure of the fluid in the third pressure chamber communicating with the first space by a second equalizing path increases in response to an increases in that in the first space, thereby when a pressure of the fluid in the fourth pressure chamber communicating with the third pressure chamber increases and exceeds a fourth predetermined value, the selector valve element situated at the eighth position moves to the sixth position and an energizing force is stored in a fourth storing means for storing energizing force.
Thereafter, when a pressure of the fluid in the third or fourth pressure chamber becomes lower than a fourth predetermined value due to a decrease in a pressure of the fluid in the first space, the selector valve element is moved from the sixth position to the seventh position against a pressure of the fluid in the fourth pressure chamber by an energizing force of the fourth storing means for storing energizing force, thereby the third main port communicating with the inlet port communicates with the fifth pressure chamber communicating with the second pressure chamber, resulting in that the inlet port communicates with the second pressure chamber through the pilot valve.
Therefore, in this state, when a pressure of the fluid in the first space of the first pressure chamber communicating with the inlet port increases, the movable member moves from the second position to the first position.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when an internal pressure of the housing is changed by the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing into the interior thereof through an inlet port of the housing, one drive mechanism out of third and fourth drive mechanisms of the driving means moves a movable member between first and second positions by employing a change in physical quantity in the housing as at least a part of a motive power.
When the movable member is moved by the one drive mechanism, an energizing force is stored in the energizing means received in the housing, then another drive mechanism out of the third and fourth drive mechanisms moves the movable member between the first and second positions by employing the energizing force stored in the energizing means as at least a part of a motive power.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a latch mechanism selectively controls a movement of a movable member, which is moved by a driving means from one position to another position between the first and second positions, thereby the movable member situated at either the first or second position is stayed at one position or moved to another position selectively.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a latch mechanism performs a first state, in which a movable member that is moved from one position to another position between the first and second positions by a driving means is held at the one position, while the latch mechanism performs a second state, in which the movable member that is allowed to move from one position to another position between the first and second positions moves from the one position to the another position.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a movement of a latch piece is controlled, a movement of a movable member, to which the latch piece follow, is controlled at one position.
According to a further embodiment of a method of driving the channel selector valve of the present invention before a movable member is moved from one position to another position by the driving means, the movable member is once moved in a direction of moving from another position to one position, then a control of a movement of the movable member at the one position by a latch mechanism is removed, thereby allowing the movable member to move from the one position to the another position.
Moreover, when the movable member is moved from the one position toward the another position after the movable member is moved from the another position to the one position by the driving means, a movement of the movable member is controlled by the latch mechanism, thereby the movable member is held at the one position.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a third drive mechanism generates a motive power in order to move a movable member of a channel selector valve from one position to another position between first and second positions, a valve-opening member is about to move from a valve-closing position to a valve-opening position by motive power, thereby this movement of the valve-opening member is selectively controlled by a second latch mechanism.
Here, when the second latch mechanism controls a movement of the valve-opening member, since the valve-opening member is held at a valve-closing position and does not move to the valve-opening position, the pilot valve is held in its closed state and an attenuation mechanism does not act, thereby a motive power generated by a fourth drive mechanism is not attenuated and a movement of the movable member from the another position to the one position between the first and second positions by the motive power generated by the fourth drive mechanism is prohibited.
To the contrary, when the second latch mechanism does not control a movement of the valve-opening member from the valve-closing position to the valve-opening position, the valve-opening member moves from the valve-closing position to the valve-opening position, the pilot valve is opened by this valve-opening member that has moved to the valve-opening position, thereby the attenuation mechanism acts so as to attenuate the motive power generated by the fourth drive mechanism and a movement of the movable member from the another position to the one position between the first and second positions by the motive power generated by the fourth drive mechanism is allowed.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention if a second latch mechanism alternately repeats third and fourth states, when a movable member is moved from one position to another position by a motive power generated by a third drive mechanism, a state that a movement of the movable member from the another position to the one position by a motive power generated by a fourth drive mechanism is allowed and a state that a movement of the movable member from the another position to the one position by a motive power generated by the fourth drive mechanism is prohibited are alternately produced.
According to a further embodiment of a method of driving the channel selector valve of the present invention when a drive source of a third drive mechanism is allowed to generate a motive power again after the generation of a motive power by a drive source of the third drive mechanism is halted, a second latch mechanism is transferred between a state in which a movement of a valve-opening member from a valve-closing position to a valve-opening position is controlled and a state in which said control is removed, thereby the system can be transferred from one state, in which a movable member can move from the another position to the one position by using a motive power generated by a fourth drive mechanism, to another state in which the movable member cannot move from the another position to the one position, or the system can be transferred from the another state to the one state.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention if a movable member keeps staying at a first position, a place where the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing into a first space by way of an inlet port, is discharged to a first selector port, in addition, a place where the fluid, which is discharged from a second space to the exterior of the housing by way of an outlet port, is introduced from is still a second selector port, therefore a pressure of the fluid in a second pressure chamber communicating with the first selector port by way of the communication pipe becomes equal to a pressure of the fluid in the first space communicating with the first selector port or that at the inlet port.
Therefore, as long as a force applied to a movable member from the first pressure chamber side due to a pressure of the fluid introduced into the first space of the housing by way of the inlet port is lower than a resultant force of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, or is lower than a force consisting of said resultant force and a static friction force between the seat valve and the movable member, the movable member keeps staying at a first position, consequently, a place, to which the inlet port or the outlet port is communicated, is not selected (i.e. not changed).
To the contrary, when a force applied to the movable member from the first pressure chamber side due to a pressure of the fluid introduced into the first space of the housing by way of the inlet port exceeds a resultant force of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, or exceeds a force consisting of said resultant force and a static friction force between the seat valve and the movable member, the movable member moves from the first position to a second position, thereby a place where the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing into the first space by way of the inlet port, is discharged to is selected to be the second selector port, in addition, a place where the fluid, which is discharged from the second space to the exterior of the housing by way of the outlet port, is introduced from is selected to be the first selector port.
Therefore, a pressure of the fluid in the second pressure chamber communicating with the first selector port by way of the communication pipe becomes equal to a pressure of the fluid at the outlet port communicating with the first selector port, then said pressure becomes different from a pressure of the fluid at the inlet port communicating with the first space.
Consequently, as long as a pressure of the fluid at the inlet port is thereafter kept so that a force applied to the movable member from the first pressure chamber side due to a difference between a pressure of the fluid at the outlet port and that at the inlet port exceeds a resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, or exceeds a force, which is resulted by subtracting a static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member from said resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, the movable member keeps staying at the second position against an energizing force by the energizing means, thereby a place to which the inlet port or the outlet port is communicated is kept as selected (i.e. as changed).
Then, after the movable member has moved to the second position, when a pressure of the fluid at the inlet port decreases so that a force applied to the movable member from the first pressure chamber side due to a difference between a pressure of the fluid at the outlet port and that at the inlet port is lower than a resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, or is lower than a force, which is resulted by subtracting a static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member from said resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force that the fluid in the second pressure chamber acts on the movable member, the movable member moves from the second position to the first position by an energizing force of the energizing means.
Thereby, a place where the fluid, which is introduced from the exterior of the housing into the first space by way of the inlet port, is discharged to is selected to be a first selector port, in addition, a place where the fluid, which is discharged from a second space to the exterior of the housing by way of the outlet port, is introduced from is selected to be the second selector port.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention if a movable member is moved from a first position to a second position so that a channel of the fluid is selected by the channel selector valve using a motive power generated by a non-electrically-driven drive source, the movable member is held at the second position by a state-holding mechanism.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a movable member is situated at a first position, an energizing of a second selector valve element by energizing means for energizing the selector valve is allowed, thereby a state-holding selector valve is set in a first state in which a second pressure chamber is communicated to the exterior of the housing through a first introducing port, while when the movable member is situated at the second position, against the energizing by the energizing means for energizing the selector valve, the state-holding selector valve is set in a second state in which the second pressure chamber is communicated to the exterior of the housing through a second introducing port.
Whether the movable member is situated at the first position or a second position depends upon whether a force applied to the movable member from a first space side is higher or not than a force applied to the movable member from the second pressure chamber side, as a result of taking the following forces into consideration, said following forces are a force applied to the movable member by the fluid in the first space, a force applied to the movable member by the fluid flowed into the second pressure chamber, a static friction force between a valve seat and the movable member, and an energizing force by the energizing means.
Therefore, when the movable member is situated at the first position, as long as a pressure of the fluid at an inlet port communicating with the first space is set so that a force applied to the movable member from the second pressure chamber side, which depends on a pressure of the fluid at a place to which the first introducing port communicating with the second pressure chamber is communicated, exceeds a force applied to the movable member from the first space side, the movable member keeps staying at the first position, thereby a first selector port out of two selector ports formed in the housing communicates with the inlet port through the first space, while a second selector port out of the two selector ports communicates with an outlet port through a second space.
On the other hand, when a pressure of the fluid in the first space increases so that a force applied to the movable member from the first space side exceeds a force applied to the movable member from the second pressure chamber side, which depends on a pressure of the fluid at a place to which a first introducing port communicating with the second pressure chamber is communicated, the movable member moves from the first position to the second position in the housing, thereby the first selector port out of the two selector ports formed in the housing communicates with the outlet port through the first space, while the second selector port out of the two selector ports communicates with the inlet port through the second space, and a place to which the second pressure chamber is communicated is selected from the first introducing port to the second introducing port.
Here, if a pressure of the fluid in a place to which the second introducing port is communicated is set lower to some extent than that in a place to which the first introducing port is communicated, even when a pressure of the fluid in the first space decreases to some extent, a force applied to the movable member from the first space side exceeds a force applied to the movable member from the second pressure chamber side, thereby the movable member keeps staying at the second position.
However, when a pressure of the fluid in the first space markedly decreases so that a force applied to the movable member from the second pressure chamber side exceeds a force applied to the movable member from the first space side, the movable member moves from the second position to the first position in the housing, thereby the first selector port out of the two selector ports formed in the housing communicates with the inlet port through the first space, while the second selector port out of the two selector ports communicates with the outlet port through the second space, and a place to which the second pressure chamber is communicated is selected from the second introducing port to the first introducing port.
Since a pressure of the fluid in a place to which the first introducing port is communicated is set higher to some extent than that in a place to which the second introducing port is communicated, even when a pressure of the fluid in the first space is kept very low after the movable member has moved from the second position to the first position, a force applied to the movable member from the second pressure chamber side exceeds a force applied to the movable member from the first space side, thereby the movable member keeps staying at the first position.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a movable member is situated at a first position, as long as a force applied to the movable member by the fluid in a first space is lower than a resultant force of energizing force by an energizing means and a force applied to the movable member by the fluid, which flowed into a second pressure chamber from a place to which a first introducing port is communicated, or is lower than a force consisting of said resultant force and a static friction force between a seat valve and the movable member, the movable member keeps staying at the first position.
On the other hand, a pressure of the fluid in the first space increases so that a force applied to the movable member by the fluid in the first space exceeds a resultant force of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force applied to the movable member by the fluid, which flowed into the second pressure chamber from a place to which the first introducing port is communicated, or exceeds a force consisting of said resultant force and a static friction force between the seat valve and the movable member, the movable member moves from the first position to a second position in the housing.
Here, if a pressure of the fluid in a place to which a second introducing port is communicated is set lower to some extent than that in a place to which the first introducing port is communicated, even when a pressure of the fluid in the first space decreases to some extent, a force applied to the movable member from the first space side exceeds a resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force applied to the movable member by the fluid flowed into the second pressure chamber, or exceeds a force, which is resulted by subtracting a static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member from said resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force applied to the movable member by the fluid flowed into the second pressure chamber, thereby the movable member keeps staying at the second position.
Since a pressure of the fluid in a place to which the first introducing port is communicated is set higher to some extent than that in a place to which the second introducing port is communicated, even when a pressure of the fluid in the first space is kept very low after the movable member has moved from the second position to the first position, a resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force applied to the movable member by the fluid flowed into the second pressure chamber, or a force, which is resulted by subtracting a static friction force between the valve seat and the movable member from said resultant force consisting of the energizing force by the energizing means and a force applied to the movable member by the fluid flowed into the second pressure chamber, exceeds a force applied to the movable member from the first space side, thereby the movable member keeps staying at the first position.
According to another embodiment of a method of driving the channel selector valve of the present invention when the channel selector valve is driven, a pressure of fluid introduced into a first space from the exterior of the housing by way of an inlet port is set higher than a predetermined value, so that a force, which is applied to a movable member by fluid existing in a first space in a direction from a first position to a second position, is set stronger than a force, which is applied to the movable member by fluid existing in a place to which a second pressure chamber is communicated in a direction from the second position to the first position, thereby the movable member moves from the first position to the second position, in addition thereafter, a pressure of fluid existing in the first space and a pressure of fluid existing in the second pressure chamber are set so that the movable member is kept staying at the second position.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention an opening ratio of an electrically-driven expansion valve in a refrigerating cycle is changed to change a pressure of fluid in the refrigerating cycle, thereby a balance, between a force that the fluid in the channel selector valve is applied to a movable member to move from a first position to a second position and a force that the fluid in the channel selector valve is applied to the movable member to move from the second position to the first position, changes, thereby the movable member moves between the first and second positions.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a frequency of an oscillation generated by a compressor in a refrigerating cycle is changed, a member that responds only to a specific frequency produces a change in condition, then a pressure of the fluid in a second pressure chamber changes, thereby a balance, between a force that the fluid in the channel selector valve is applied to a movable member to move from a first position to a second position and a force that the fluid in the channel selector valve is applied to the movable member to move from the second position to the first position, changes, thereby the movable member moves between the first and second positions.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a heat-exchange capacity by a heat exchanger in a refrigerating cycle is adjusted and a difference in fluid pressure is changed by a difference in amount of heat exchange by the heat exchanger, then a pressure of the fluid in the refrigerating cycle changes, thereby a balance, between a force that the fluid in the channel selector valve is applied to a movable member to move from a first position to a second position and a force that the fluid in the channel selector valve is applied to the movable member to move from the second position to the first position, changes, thereby the movable member moves between the first and second positions.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a rotary-type four-way selector valve is constructed by the channel selector valve, in which when a main valve element as a movable member rotates around the central axis in the housing so as to move between a first and second positions, a place to which an inlet port as a main port is communicated by communication means provided in the main valve element is selected between a first selector port and a second selector port out of two selector ports provided at an end side of the housing.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention one port formed on a valve seat out of an inlet port and an outlet port communicates with a first selector port of a valve seat when a main valve element is situated at a first position, while communicates with a second selector port of the valve seat when the main valve element is situated at a second position, not by communication means but by second communication means formed at one end surface of the main valve element that sits down on the valve seat.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention by a communication channel for communicating one end surface side of a main valve element to another end surface side thereof, when the main valve element is situated at a first position, a second selector port formed on a valve seat at one end side of the housing communicates with another port formed at another end side of the housing, while when the main valve element is situated at a second position, the second selector port formed on the valve seat at one end side of the housing communicates with a first selector port formed on the valve seat.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a main valve element is moved in a direction of the central axis of the housing by a driving means, this movement is transformed into a rotation around the central axis of the housing by conversion means of moving direction, thereby the main valve element is rotated between first and second positions.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention while a main valve element moves in a direction of the central axis of the housing, in the inside of a cam groove provided in one out of the main valve element and the housing, a cam follower pin provided in another out of the main valve element and the housing moves, thereby a movement of the main valve element in a direction of the central axis of the housing is transformed into a rotation around the central axis of the housing.
Then, the cam groove has a first and second cam grooves continuing with each other in the rotational direction of the main valve element, since the first cam groove is formed inclined so as to part from a valve seat in a direction of the central axis as being displaced in the rotational direction, while the second cam groove is formed inclined so as to move nearer to the valve seat in a direction of the central axis as being displaced in the rotational direction, when the main valve element proceeds and returns in a direction of the central axis of the housing, the main valve element rotates between the first and second positions, with the cam follower pin being guided along the first and second cam grooves.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention a cam follower pin formed on a main valve element is disposed between a first and second half of an inner housing, then each end of the first and second half is joined together, thereby the main valve element is received in the inner housing and by the inner housing the main valve element is movable in a direction of the central axis of the housing and is supported rotatably around the central axis.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a main valve element, which is moved in a direction of the central axis by a driving means, rotates around the central axis of the housing with its movement being transformed by conversion means of moving direction, one end surface of the main valve element sits down on a valve seat only when situating at a first or a second position, thereby one port of the valve seat selectively communicates with one out of a first selector port and a second selector port of the valve seat, by second communication means formed at one end surface of the main valve element.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a main valve element is situated at a first or second position where one end surface of the main valve element sits down on a valve seat, a communication channel is opened by a subvalve opened by a valve-opening means, then one end surface side of the main valve element communicates with another end surface side thereof, and by this communication channel another port, which is formed at another end side of the housing and forms a main port, communicates with a second selector port formed on the valve seat when the main valve element is situated at the first position, while communicates with a first selector port formed on the valve seat when the main valve element is situated at the second position.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a main valve element sat down on a valve seat is moved in a direction away from the valve seat by a driving means, an own weight of the main valve is utilized as at least a part of non-electric motive power.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a main valve element sat down on a valve seat is moved in a direction away from the valve seat by a driving means, an energizing force stored in the energizing means for energizing the main valve element is utilized as at least a part of non-electric motive power.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a main valve element away from a valve seat is moved in a direction nearer to the valve seat by a driving means, an energizing force stored in the second energizing means for energizing the main valve element is utilized as at least a part of non-electric motive power.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a pressure of the fluid at one port exceeds that at another port, a main valve element, situated at an intermediate position by a resultant force of an energizing force of an energizing means for energizing the main valve element and that of a second energizing means for energizing the main valve element, moves in the direction away from a valve seat with rotating against an energizing force of a second energizing means for energizing the main valve element.
To the contrary, when a pressure of the fluid at one port is lower than that at another port, the main valve element situated at a neutral position, one end surface of which is away from the valve seat, moves in the direction nearer to the valve seat with rotating against the energizing force of the energizing means for energizing the main valve element.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention whether a cam follower pin, situated at an intermediate position of the cam groove, is in a first cam groove or in a second cam groove, when a pressure of the fluid at one port is lower than that at another port, a main valve element situated at the neutral position moves in a direction nearer to the valve seat, then the cam follower pin moves to the groove by way of either one end of the first cam groove or that of the second cam groove, thereby the main valve element rotates to be situated at either a first or second position.
Then, in a state that the cam follower pin is situated in the groove, when a state that a pressure of the fluid at the one port is lower than that at the another port is canceled, the cam follower pin situated in the groove moves to another end side of the cam groove by way of one end of the cam groove out of the first and second cam grooves, which is situated at a down stream side in the direction of the rotation, thereby the main valve element rotates around the central axis from the first or second position and the main valve element moves away from the valve seat to be situated at the neutral position.
According to another embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention whether a cam follower pin, situated at an intermediate position of a cam groove, is in a first cam groove or in a second cam groove, when a pressure of the fluid at one port is higher than that at another port, a main valve element situated at the neutral position moves in the direction away from a valve seat, then the cam follower pin moves to the second groove by way of either another end of the first cam groove or that of the second cam groove, thereby the main valve element rotates to be situated at an intermediate position between the first and second positions around the central axis.
Then, in a state that the cam follower pin is situated in the second groove, when a state that a pressure of the fluid at the one port is higher than that at the another port is canceled, the cam follower pin situated in the second groove moves to another end side of the cam groove by way of one end of the cam groove out of the first and second cam grooves, which is situated at a down stream side in the direction of the rotation, thereby the main valve element rotates around the central axis from the intermediate position between the first and second positions and the main valve element moves nearer to the valve seat to be situated at the neutral position.
According to a further embodiment of a channel selector valve of the present invention when a main valve element moves in a direction of the central axis or rotates around the central axis with respect to the housing, a sliding resistance between the housing and the main valve element is reduced by slide means.
According to another embodiment of a compressor with the channel selector valve of the present invention a compressor housing part, in which a high pressure chamber from which a fluid compressed by a compressing section of the compressor is introduced is formed, is integrally formed with a housing part, in which an inlet port is provided, out of the housing of the channel selector valve thereby the compressor housing is integrated with the housing of the channel selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a channel selector valve is controlled by controlling the functional components for controlling the operation of a refrigerating cycle.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a functional component is controlled to control an operation of a refrigerating cycle, thereby generating a non-electrical motive power, by which a channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a microcomputer, which controls an operation of a refrigerating cycle, a functional component is controlled to control an operation of the refrigerating cycle, thereby generating a non-electrical motive power, by which a channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a functional component is controlled to control an operation of a refrigerating cycle, thereby a physical quantity or a rate of change in a physical quantity is generated as a non-electrical motive power, by which a channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a microcomputer, controls an operation of a refrigerating cycle, a functional component is controlled to control an operation of the refrigerating cycle, thereby a physical quantity or a rate of change in the physical quantity is generated as a non-electrical motive power, by which a channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention in order to generate a non-electrical motive power for controlling a channel selector valve, a functional component is controlled on the basis of a physical quantity, which concerns with a control of an operation of a refrigerating cycle, selected from the group consisting of a pressure, temperature, rate of flow, voltage, current, electrical frequency and mechanical oscillation frequency.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention the physical quantity, which is a non-electrical motive power and is generated by a refrigerating cycle, is a pressure, differential pressure or rate of flow with respect to fluid existing in a channel selector valve, and a rate of change in a physical quantity, which is the non-electrical motive power and is generated by the refrigerating cycle, is a rate of change in pressure, rate of change in differential pressure or rate of change in rate of flow with respect to the fluid.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention an operational condition of a refrigerating cycle is commanded from an operation command section and a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle is detected in a physical quantity detector section, then a control section receives input signals sent from an operation command section and a physical quantity detector section. Then, the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component, and the device generates a non-electrical motive power by controlling the refrigerating cycle and passively controls the channel selector valve by said motive power.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to a refrigerating cycle so as to start an operation of the refrigerating cycle, thereby controlling the channel selector valve in a state corresponding to the start of an operation, which is commanded by the operation command section.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section starts to operate a compressor communicated to a refrigerating cycle in a direction of inverse rotation when the control section decides to select a channel selector valve on the basis of a command of an operation command section, thereby a channel is selected by the channel selector valve.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to a refrigerating cycle so as to operate the refrigerating cycle, thereby controlling a channel selector valve in a state corresponding to the operation, which is commanded by the operation command section.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section controls at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to a refrigerating cycle so as to halt an operation of the refrigerating cycle, thereby controlling a channel selector valve in a state corresponding to the halt of the operation, which is commanded by the operation command section.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a channel selector valve is constructed in a manner that a movable member moves so as to select a channel, and a control section comprises at least one unit selected from the group consisting of: a memory unit for memorizing position data of a movable member of a channel selector valve; a comparison unit and a judge unit for comparing and judging, respectively, position data and operation command data; and a learning unit learning on the basis of physical quantity data by a control of functional components and control data of the channel selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section receives the input signals, performs a predetermined processing and judges whether a channel is to be changed or not to be changed by a channel selector valve, then confirms a position on the basis of present position data, then sends a output signals to a driving section so as to control the functional components in a refrigerating cycle, then receives new input signals after a predetermined period of time, confirms a position of a movable member, and sets position data of said position as new present position data when said position is changed to a new position.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section confirms a position of a movable member by at least one temperature detection means, at least one pressure detection means, at least one magnetic detection means, at least one current detection means or a combination thereof after a predetermined period of time, and then installs position data corresponding to said position into a memory unit of a control section.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a microcomputer that controls a refrigerating cycle is used, thereby controlling at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control the refrigerating cycle, and in order to control a driving section for driving a functional component so that the position of a movable member is to be moved or not to be moved, the microcomputer performs a processing consisting of the steps of:
receiving input signals; confirming a position by taking out present position data of a movable member installed in a memory unit; carrying out an operation to decide whether the movable member is to be moved of not to be moved, comparing, and judging; selecting and deciding a driving section; outputting drive signals to the driving section selected and decided; judging a position of the movable member by input signals after a predetermined period of time, with or without moving a position of the movable member by a physical quantity generated by at least one functional component that is selected and decided in said step of selecting and deciding or a rate of the physical quantity; and installing position data of a position of the movable member into the memory unit when said position is changed to a new position.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention an operational condition of a refrigerating cycle is commanded from an operation command section and a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle is detected in a physical quantity detector section, then a control section receives input signals sent from a operation command section and a physical quantity detector section. Then, the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component for controlling an operation of the refrigerating cycle, and when judging to select a channel by using the channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor of the refrigerating cycle and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power, thereby the channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention an operational condition of a refrigerating cycle is commanded from an operation command section and a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle is detected in a physical quantity detector section, then a control section receives input signals sent from a operation command section and a physical quantity detector section. Then, the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component for controlling an operation of the refrigerating cycle, and when judging to select a channel by using a channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor in a direction of inverse rotation and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power exceeding a third predetermined motive power, thereby the channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to another embodiment of the device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a channel selector valve selects a channel by moving a movable member between first and second positions in response to an internal motive power, a control section memorizes position data corresponding to the first or second position of the movable member in a memory unit thereof, the control section starts an operation of a refrigerating cycle when the position data indicates the second or first position, halts the operation of the refrigerating cycle with renewing position data in the memory unit to the first or second position, respectively, after a first predetermined period of time, and keeps the operation of the refrigerating cycle standby during a third predetermined period of time.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section operates a compressor in a specific frequency immediately after starting operation of the compressor and starts an operation of a refrigerating cycle so that a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of the channel selector valve.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section starts an operation of a compressor with a first predetermined capacity.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section starts an operation of a compressor with a second predetermined capacity so that a motive power lower than a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of a channel selector valve, then operates the refrigerating cycle for a fourth predetermined period of time, then halts the operation of the refrigerating cycle for a fifth predetermined period of time, and then starts an operation of the compressor with a first predetermined capacity so that a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of the channel selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section sends output signals to a throttle device driving section so that an opening ratio of a throttle device of a refrigerating cycle is almost fully opened or almost fully closed.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section sends output signals to a heat exchanger motor driving section so that a heat exchanger motor of a refrigerating cycle is kept halted.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention once a control section starts an operation of a compressor, the control section sends output signals to a compressor driving section after a first predetermined period of time and drives a power source of the compressor so that a motive power exceeding a second predetermined motive power is generated, thereby operating the refrigerating cycle.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention once a control section starts an operation of a compressor, the control section sends output signals to a throttle device driving section so as to set the opening ratio of the throttle device a predetermined opening ratio after a first predetermined period of time.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention once a control section starts an operation of a compressor, the control section sends output signals to a heat exchanger motor driving section after a second predetermined period of time so as to start an operation of a heat exchanger motor, sends output signals to a compressor driving section so as to generate a motive power lower than a first predetermined motive power, and drives a power source of a compressor so as to generate a motive power exceeding a second predetermined motive power, thereby operating the refrigerating cycle.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention when a control section performs a predetermined processing and judges to select a channel by a channel selector valve or to halt an operation of a refrigerating cycle, the control section sends output signals to a compressor driving section: to drive a power source of a compressor with a third predetermined capacity so as to generate a motive power lower than a second predetermined motive power; or to halt the operation of the compressor, thereby halting the operation of the refrigerating cycle.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention when a control section performs a predetermined processing and judges to select a channel by a channel selector valve or to halt an operation of a refrigerating cycle, the control section sends output signals to a compressor driving section to halt the operation of a compressor, then keeps the refrigerating cycle standby for a third predetermined period of time, then sends output signals to the compressor driving section to start the operation of the compressor, then renews position data in a memory unit to a first or second position after a first predetermined period of time, thereby halting the operation of the compressor again.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention when positional data memorized by a memory unit of a control section indicate a first or second position, the control section starts an operation of a refrigerating cycle so that a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power is generated as an internal motive power of a channel selector valve.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention an operational condition of a refrigerating cycle is commanded from an operation command section and a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle is detected in a physical quantity detector section, then a control section receives input signals sent from an operation command section and a physical quantity detector section. Then, the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component for controlling an operation of the refrigerating cycle, and when judging not to select (i.e. not to switch) a channel by using a channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor of the refrigerating cycle and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power lower than a first predetermined motive power, thereby the channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to a further embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention a control section starts an operation of a compressor with a second predetermined capacity.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention an operational condition of a refrigerating cycle is commanded from an operation command section and a physical quantity generated by the refrigerating cycle is detected in a physical quantity detector section, then a control section receives input signals sent from an operation command section and a physical quantity detector section. Then, the control section sends output signals to a driving section that drives a drive source of at least one of a plurality of functional components communicated to the refrigerating cycle so as to control said functional component for controlling an operation of the refrigerating cycle, and when judging not to select (i.e. not to switch) a channel by using a channel selector valve on the basis of a command of the operation command section, the control section sends output signals to a driving section for driving a power source of a compressor so as to start an operation of the compressor of the refrigerating cycle and starts an operation of the refrigerant cycle so as to generate a motive power exceeding a first predetermined motive power, thereby the channel selector valve is passively controlled.
According to another embodiment of a device for controlling a refrigerating cycle of the present invention when a control section performs a predetermined processing and judges to halt an operation of a refrigerating cycle, the control section sends output signals to a compressor driving section so as to halt the operation of a compressor, then keeps the refrigerating cycle standby for a third predetermined period of time without renewing position data in a memory unit.